Bookings of the Suzuki V-Strom 650 have commenced in India, and potential customers can book the motorcycle for a token of INR 50,000. Suzuki Motorcycles India is yet to make a formal announcement on this.
IAB understands that the Suzuki V-Strom 650 will launch in the market this month with deliveries commencing immediately after. Interestingly, Suzuki dealerships are currently accepting bookings only for the Standard variant.
Suzuki Motorcycles India showcased the V-Strom 650 XT at the Auto Expo 2018 in February. The motorcycle is assembled from kits imported from Japan.
The CKD route will help Suzuki to launch the V-Strom 650 at a competitive price of around INR 7 lakh (ex-showroom). The Suzuki V-Strom 650 will primarily compete with the Kawasaki Versys 650 and the upcoming SWM Superdual T and Benelli TRK 502.
The Suzuki V-Strom 650 is available in two variants - standard and XT. Interestingly, sources reveal that the company will launch both the variants of V-Strom 650 in India. The XT variant features aluminium wire spoke rims with dual-purpose tyres, engine belly protection, fairing and engine guards, and handguards.
The standard model features alloy wheels and road-biased tyres, while it misses out on engine belly protection, handguards and safety guards. The Suzuki V-Storm 650 XT variant also gets optional touring luggage systems like panniers with saddle stays and a top-box.
The Suzuki V-Strom 650 borrows its design cues with the Suzuki V-Strom 1000. The motorcycle features a high-set windshield with semi-fairing with, a large 20-litre fuel tank, and a comfortable seat. The Suzuki V-Strom 650 has a kerb weight of 213 kg, while it gets a saddle height of 835 mm.
The Suzuki V-Strom 650 sources power from a 645 cc, 90-degree V-twin, four-stroke engine with liquid cooling. The fuel-injected engine is capable of producing a maximum power of 70 bhp at 8,800 rpm while generating a peak torque of 62 Nm at 6,500 rpm. The motor works in tandem with a 6-speed gearbox. The motorcycle delivers a claimed fuel economy of 24.3 km/l.
Also Read: Suzuki Gixxer 250 to launch in India in 2019 - Report
The V-Strom 650 is equipped with two riding modes, switchable traction control, low-rpm assist, and Suzuki Easy Start system. The wire-spoke wheels wrap on Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A40 tyres. Suspension hardware comprises telescopic forks up front and a rebound adjustable mono-shock at the rear with remote preload adjuster. Braking force comes from twin discs at the front and a single disc at the back with standard ABS.